Rogue Fire
by boqlover
Summary: Post XM3 Rouge gained some control of her powers and has finally joined the brotherhood. Magneto decides that she needs more control over her powers. Pyro is eager to oblige. This one is getting a MAJOR OVERHAUL. Both chapters fixed. Updates to follow.
1. Unexpected

_**I started this one a while back and kind of abandoned it. I went back and read it and saw some glaring errors along with some easy fixes. I decided to run through the whole thing and do some major tune ups. I'll be doing it one chapter at a time. I have no idea if anyone has been following this story but I needed to fix it for me. I knew I could do this story justice and felt obligated to improve this story as my writing has evolved.**_

Rogue sat in front of the TV brushing the white streak of hair away from her face. The story on the cure for mutants continued on the news channel. Rogue knew about the cure. A little to well. She had only gone to the stupid clinic for Bobby and all he cared about was stupid Kitty just because he could touch her. But thanks to Magneto most of the cure was gone. She was now on the right side of the fight for mutants. She knew mutants didn't need to be cured.

Pyro leaned over the back of Rogue's chair. "Why are you watching that crap? It's not like you're going to do it again." He grabbed the remote from the arm of the couch and flipped the TV off.

"Of course not," she said looking down at her ungloved hands. "I'm fine just as I am. I can't believe I was ever cured."

"You weren't cured. You know there was nothing to 's nothing wrong with you."

"Of course I am. You know it's just media hype. Soon everyone will realize that mutants are perfect just the way we are."

Pyro slid onto the couch next to Rogue and slid his arm around her waist. She jumped at first her heart racing then she remembered. She closed her eyes and leaned her head onto his shoulder. Ever since she had come to Magneto for help he had helped her control her powers. She could now channel her powers internally, so she could touch people for long periods of time without hurting them. That is as long as she kept her emotions in check. She looked up at Pyro who was running his thumb over her upper arm looking down at her smiling. As long as she kept her emotions in check, she thought, as her heart started racing.

…

Rogue lay on her back staring at the ceiling. She should have been asleep hours ago, but for the last week every time she closed her eyes she thought about Bobby. He might have abandoned her because he couldn't touch her but he had always tried to understand. Pyro had always understood her without trying. He seemed to be able to look into her mind and see exactly when she needed to be left alone or comforted. She rolled over and closed her eyes when she heard the door slide open. Who would be in her room this late?"

"Rogue? Are you awake?" She heard the door slide shut as she sat up quickly squinting through the darkness.

Her eyes finally adjusted as she saw the lanky figure walk towards her bed slowly. "Pyro?" she said squinting to be sure. "What are you doing here?"

"I had to see you Rogue." he said sitting on the edge of her bed staring out the window. "When we were talking I wanted to say something." He glanced over at her but quickly turned back the other way. "We've been together for a while but sometimes-"

"Sometimes you wish we could do more." she said pulling her knees into herself resting her chin on her knees as she stared at the silhouettes of her feet.

"Why do you think that's-" said Pyro his head snapping around to look at her

"It's the same thing Bobby said to me the night before I left." she said turning to face the wall her knee pressing into her cheek as her eyes burned. She should have known. Girls as messed up as her never got happy endings. She felt the bed shift and expected to hear the door slide open again. Instead she felt Pyro's hand cup her face and turn her to him. She had to think quickly to keep from hurting him and the look in his eyes knocked the breath out of her chest.

"I'm not like Bobby." he said his voice hard. "You know that. That's all he wanted." His voice softened as he stroked her face. "I want you for who you are not what I can get from you."

Rogue pulled back searching his eyes. "You do?"

"Yeah I do." he said smiling at her "That's all I wanted to say. That I'm really happy I found you and that you tolerate me." She smiled too laughing slightly and he joined her. Rogue dropped her knees and leaned into Pyro wrapping her arms around his shoulder. He turned into her and held her waist. She looked up and their eyes locked.

Pyro leaned forward and kissed Rogue gently. Her breath caught and she closed her eyes and focused on her powers intently and leaned into his kiss. He pushed her hair away from her face and she slid her arms over his chest. He gasped and pulled away. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" She said her heart racing as she waited for him to start gasping for air.

"No," He said smiling as he bit his lip and studied her face. "I've just wanted to do that for so long."

"Oh..." She leaned in and kissed him again softly. "Well so have-" He grabbed the back of her hair and pulled her closer. She leaned back pulling away from him. Pyro ran his fingers through her hair. "Pyro." Rogue sighed as she turned to the side trying to pull her lips away. He pushed his face towards hers grabbing onto her face with his other hand. "Pyro." Rogue said her spine stiffening. His hands slid down her waist as he started to lay her down. "Pyro!"She cried pushing him back. He stumbled back a few steps from the bed winded but gazing at her his eyes full of a hunger that simultaneously terrified and exhilarated her." You know I would love to-" And he advanced forward again grinning "But," she said holding up a hand to stop him "I'm just worried that I'll lose it and hurt you."

"I'm not worried." Said Pyro leaning in for another kiss. Rogue enjoyed this kiss for a moment then turned her face away gasping for air.

"Pyro," she said gripping his arms looking his straight in the eyes. "You know I'm not as strong as I'd like to be. If I get too..." She looked between the two of them and her blood pounded in her ears. "Too distracted," she said breathing deeply to calm down. "I lose focus and hurt people."

"So are you saying that we can't be together?" he said his eyes darkening.

"No," she said shaking her head frantically. She turned his face into hers holding his focus. "I'm just saying we have to be more careful."

"Ok." He said nodding and she dropped her hands exhaling in relief. "I believe you." Pyro leaned in and kissed her gently on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow Rogue." He turned and walked to the door. She watched him go and fell onto her back pulling her sheets around her smiling. She closed her eyes touching her mouth with her index finger still tasting him on her lips. She fell asleep easily, Pyro the only guy on her mind.

…

When she first awoke Rogue kept her eyes shut relishing the memory of her talk with Pyro. Finally Rogue rolled over and opened her eyes. She jumped when she saw Mystique was sitting across the room in her armchair leaning back with her lithe limbs spread across the arms of the gray fabric. "What are you-" she said sitting up clutching her sheets around her.

"It's about time you woke up." Said Mystique idly checking her nails. "Magneto would like to see you. Now." She stood and slid out the door in one fluid motion.

Rogue dressed haphazardly and ran down the hallway to Magneto's office. He was sitting behind his iron desk looking calm as always."Rogue you've decided to join us." He said his voice sounding slightly amused.

As Rogue glanced around to avoid his gaze she saw Pyro sitting in an iron chair that matched the desk. He was leaning forward his blond streaked hair hiding his pale face. "Why is Pyro here?" said Rogue her heart jumping.

"I believe last night he visited your room." said Magneto steepling his fingers together. Rogue's stomach simultaneously sunk and twisted and she knew. Magneto was going to kick her out, she just knew it. She couldn't leave this place. The only place she'd ever been truly accepted, where she had started to feel in control of his own life. She couldn't leave Pyro, not now.

"Not to worry. Neither of you is being punished. I believe he left your room when you claimed your lack of focus would harm him. Is this true?" He said inclining his head toward Rogue.

"It- it is true." Rogue said collapsing into a chair. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"That's right. You're not going to be limited by your emotions again." Magneto lifted his hand and the two iron chairs flexed and melded into a large bench. Pyro and Rogue slid and slammed into each other. "Sorry." mumbled Rogue rubbing her shoulder as she glanced up at Pyro.

"It's ok." he said pushing a piece of hair back from her face. His hand lingered by her face. Her brown eyes flicked up to his and she bit her lip smiling. Magneto cleared his throat and the two sprang apart.

"It seems as if Pyro can touch you without hurting him. I've seen you two around this place."

Rogue turned red at the mention of her relationship with Pyro by her mentor. She glanced up at Magneto wondering when he would finally dismiss her.

"Now Rogue what I would like you to do is focus as much as you possibly can," Rogue closed her eyes, "While Pyro touches you."

Rogue's eyes sprung open. "While he- what?" She looked over at Pyro and was grateful to see he looked equally shocked.

"It's the only way to ensure that your emotions truly won't affect your powers." said Magneto leaning back in his chair his hands pressed into the desk.

"But why do we have to- Here? While you're watching? Now?"

"Of course not! Goodness, no. Instead of the sessions you spent with me you'll spend them with him. You and Pyro can go practice now."

Rogue stood her mind reeling as she left the office Pyro close behind her. Not only did she get to spend time with her boyfriend it was considered practice for her powers.

"Did you say boyfriend?" said Pyro looking up at her as they shuffled down the hallway.

"I didn't mean to say it out loud, but yeah I did." She said looking up and blushing

"So where do you think we should practice?"

"So suddenly you become all eager to do your homework?"

"Just call me Mr. Academic." Rogue laughed and blushed again. "Really though, where should we practice?"

"How about the lounge on the third floor? It's got a great view of the grounds." Said Rogue tucking her white streak behind her ear.

"Ok, I just have to get some breakfast and then I'll meet you there at 9."

"See you at 9 then." he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Bye." he said running towards his room.

Rogue ran but not to the dining hall. If she was going to see Pyro again she would be wearing something better then the grungy sweatpants she had on now.

…

Rogue sat on the couch of the lounge finger combing her hair in the reflection of the window. She hoped that the traces of makeup she had carefully applied weren't too obvious. She wanted to look better then usual without looking like she was trying to look different. When she heard the door open she turned and there was Pyro. He had also changed since this morning. "Hi." Said Rogue turning red.

"Hi." said Pyro turning redder then her. He sat on the opposite side of the couch. Rogue couldn't shake the feeling off a bad date with her father in the next room. She knew Magneto could, and probably was watching them now. Rogue glanced up at Pyro but as soon as she caught his gaze she looked down again biting her lip. He began to slide over to her, his arm inching around her shoulders as he looked out the window. Rogue focused as she leaned into him glancing up at his face.

When he looked down and caught her glance he didn't look away. Instead he leaned in kissed her as softly as possible. Rogue sighed and returned the soft kiss resting her hand on his chest. She could feel his heart pounding and wondered if he could feel hers as his hand slid up her neck to cup her face. Pyro stroked the side of her face with his fingertips that sent a shiver down Rogue's spine. She slid her hands up around his neck as he grabbed her back and pulled her closer.

She tried to push away but Pyro pulled her back kissing her more fiercely then she could remember, entangling his hands in her hair. She pushed against his chest trying to separate herself from his lips as she felt her skin start to burn but Pyro didn't move away. Rogue turned her face away gasping and finally pushed him away. He looked up and despite himself was grinning as she sat gasping for breath. "I'm sorry." he said approaching her but she held up her hands to keep him back. "I don't know why I did that. I've just wanted to be with you for so long I couldn't-"

"Well in a few seconds you were going to be really sorry." she said suddenly twisting her fingers together feeling naked without her gloves. "I could have killed you. Do you not realize that?"

"I do realize that." he said. "So just calm down and we'll be more careful." He leaned towards her ready to slide back next to her but she slid away.

"Is that all that matters to you? Just that you can touch me?" She shouted standing from the seat. "Because if that's what you think then-"

"Rogue, you know that's not true. I just want to help you. Ok?" Pyro stood and enveloped her stroking her hair. She started to pull away again but he held her in place stroking her back comfortingly. Slowly she started to relax, letting herself start to calm down.

"I'm sorry," she said closing her eyes. "I'm just so scared you'll realize one day that I'll never be completely safe and you'll leave me like..." She looked up at him then buried her face in his chest as his hand ran up her back.

"I'm not like Bobby." he said puling her into him kissing the top of her head. "He ran off at the first sign of trouble. I'm going to help you through whatever you have to go through. I know things aren't going to be easy but I'm going to be here with you."

"Pyro..." Rogue loving that that was all she needed to say before he kissed her on the forehead. She looked into his gray eyes then kissed him wrapping her arms around him. Pyro kissed up her neck and jaw to her mouth. Rogue leaned back into the wall Pyro following her back. He braced his hand over her in a way that made her feel protected not trapped.

"Marie!' a new voice shouted sprinting into the room, "Thank god I found- John?"

Rogue looked over Pyro's arm and all the wind was knocked from her chest as she slipped down the wall. It was Bobby.

"What are you doing here -how did you find me?" she said as Pyro turned around shielding her from Bobby.

"Storm used Cerebro." Bobby said looking confusedly between Pyro and Rogue. "Come on we need to get out of here."

"Well she's just fine so you can go now." said Pyro as he glared at Bobby.

"Why are here with- Were you just kiss- what is going on?" said Bobby.

"Here's what's going on _Bobby." _said Rogue stepping out from behind Pyro even as he gripped her arm. "First you left me because you couldn't touch me to be with that doe eyed bitch Kitty, _then_ when I gave up my powers for you so finally could be together, you criticized me for getting cured, telling me that I'm not the girl you wanted which is bullshit because you were done with me before I even got cured. And right now I'm finally on the right side for mutants with someone who actually cares about me, not what he can get from me." She finished, her chest heaving as she finally screamed everything she had wanted to tell him after she had left.

"Marie, you don't know what you're saying. John and Magneto have been brainwashing you to believe this stuff. I need to get you out of here." he reached out for her hand.

"No, I'm staying here with _Pyro_." said Rogue holding tightly on to him.

"Look Marie just because John's your new boyfriend doesn't mean that you have to join his side."

"Ok believe it or not I didn't join _Pyro's_ side because he's my boyfriend I joined because it's the right side to be on for mutants. And stop calling me Marie my name is Rogue." She said coldly.

"Mari- Rogue look just come with me and we'll use Cerebro to figure out what's wrong with you." Bobby said reaching for her hand again.

"Why don't you just get it already Bobby?" said Pyro stepping in front of Rogue again. "Nothing is wrong with her and nothing needs to be fixed. You didn't understand it when she got cured and you don't understand now. She's fine where she is and she's staying with me."

"He doesn't care about you. That's just what Magneto told him to say, now come on." Bobby said reaching for Rogue.

"NO!" said Rogue as Bobby latched onto her wrist. He gasped and fell back his eyes rolling back. He slammed his head against the wall and crumpled to the floor. He lay on the floor twitching and unconscious.

"What did you do?" said John trying not to smile as he bent over Bobby.

"I don't kn-know." said Rogue stepping backwards. She hit the wall and sunk down to the floor pulling her hands into herself. "What should we do?" said Rogue dropping to her knees gingerly looking over him. "Pyro I don't know if- Can you see if he's okay?"

Pyro knelt next to her roughly grabbing Bobby's wrist then letting it fall back to the floor. "There's still a pulse." he said standing up his foot scuffing Bobby's shoulder as he did.

"Pyro!" she said. "If he's here..." she looked at him her eyes wide.

"It means other X-Men are on the way." He said "For you."

"I guess so." she said looking down at Bobby.

"And they still don't know the cure wore off judging by the way Bobby grabbed you." he said watching her concerned face in confusion.

"Should we go tell Magneto?" She said looking down at Bobby again.

"No need." said Magneto and they both jumped. "I'll have Mystique take care of him. You two can continue practicing in another room. Pyro nodded at him and stood but Rogue stayed on her knees looking over Bobby.

"What do you mean take care of him?" she said instantly feeling at the look on Pyro's face as he turned around.

"Why do you care?" hissed Pyro. "After what he did to you." He said quietly as he pulled her to her feet.

"We're just going to interrogate him. Find out why he is here and how he got past our security. Now go with Pyro." He gestured at the door and Pyro pulled her out the door before Rogue could speak again.


	2. Chapter 2

"What was that about?" Pyro hissed as they left the room. "Why did you keep asking Magneto about him?" He jerked her around a corner as Rogue resisted the urge to look back.

"I- I don't know." she said quietly. She didn't know why she cared if Bobby was alive or not. "Knee jerk reaction." Truthfully she knew that despite everything Bobby had done to her she had still been happy to see him. He reminded her of her time at Xavier's where she had first learned about other mutants. She knew that Bobby wasn't really a bad person.

"I'd like to knee that jerk right between-"

"Pyro!" she said stopping in her tracks.

"Sorry." he said stopping. "Lets find somewhere else to practice." He looked back at her. "Unless you're too-"

"I'm fine." she said as he wrapped his arms around her.

"You sure?" he said.

"Yeah." she said looking over his shoulder down the hallway. "I'm fine." She buried her face back into him.

"Where do you want to go?" he said. "We could go to-"

"My room?" she said quickly looking down. He looked at her, head tilted to the side curiously.

"Your room? Are- are you sure you're ok with that?" She nodded and held onto his hand.

"I'm sure." She said smiling as he stroked his face.

...

Later, they sat on Rogue's bed, neither one knowing what to do or say first. Finally Pyro turned to her. "Are you ready to-" She nodded cutting him off. She took his face in her hand pulling him to her. She let their tongues gently probe inside each others mouths fascinated by the way Pyro felt, smelled and tasted. She pulled away from him for a second then running her hands through his hair she gripped onto him and pulled him on top of her. He stopped then looked at her a smile twitching across his face. "You serious?" He bit back his smile trying to look more serious."I mean are you sure you'll be ok?"

Rogue nodded. "But if I say stop you have to stop right then. If you don't I could kill you." she said solemnly. Pyro nodded and bent back down to kiss her again his hand on her waist. He crawled over her putting himself right over her thighs. His hand rubbed her waist in small circles and he began to work the edge of her shirt up kissing her collar bone and neck. Rogue gasped at the unfamiliar sensation of someone's hands touching her this way.

He pulled away "Are you ok? Do I need to stop?" he said lifting his hands away from her quickly. She shook her head. "Don't stop." she said pulling his mouth down to hers.

He paused before gently and slowly resuming his task. He slid her shirt halfway up her body and when he looked up at her face he saw her eyes were firmly shut. "Rogue? You ok?" She nodded still not opening her eyes.

"It's just if I watch you while you do that theres no way I can concentrate." she said her breath hitching as his rough hands slid over her ribcage. Pyro laughed lightly and kissed her lips gently and each of her eye lids. She murmured still holding her eyes shut.

Pyro slid the shirt over her head, feeling her tense beneath him. "It's ok." he whispered into her ear as he laid over her. "It's ok, it's just me." He slid his hand over the pale skin of her stomach writing his name with his finger tips then hers. He was staring at her stomach as he did this watching his hand slide over each inch of skin as she breathed in and out deeply. He placed one hand under her so when he lifted her up, her back arched and her hips lifted slightly. He kissed just above her bra, laying a kiss on each of her breasts. He then kissed right below her bra and ran his tongue down the center of her body slowly stopping at the waistband of her jeans. He ran kisses across her waist slowly letting his tongue brush her skin.

Rogue felt like she was burning inside her own skin. Keeping her eyes shut had helped before but now when she didn't know when she didn't what was coming next they had begun to fall open. As she felt Pyro's lips lift from her breasts and felt his tongue start down her stomach she opened her eyes. The sight of Pyro's blond brown hair sweeping back and forth across her hips made her breath stop. "Yes..." she let slip from her lips. Pyro looked up and smiled.

"You're doing good." he said running a finger over her hips. "Am I doing ok?" She nodded speechlessly as he reached for the button of her jeans.

"Stop." she said not loudly but firmly. Pyro removed his hands from her quickly sitting back.

"Sorry," he mumbled looking down.

"It's ok." she said sitting up. "I'm just... I don't know if I'm ready for that, powers or not." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"How about I just.. go on with what was doing and if you need me to stop all you have to do is ask. I won't go too far, baby."

Rogue looked at him "Baby?" She said her eyebrows arched.

"That was really cheesy, sorry." he said blushing.

"No," she said blushing even more. "I like it. It makes me feel... safe." she reached for Pyro's hand and placed it over her heart. "It's racing." he murmured. "Because of you." she said looking at him. She slid his hand over her breast his thumb slightly under the edge of the fabric and she laid back down, not taking her eyes off him. He laid over her gripping her hand and pressing it to his chest.

"You make my heart race too." he said. "Sometimes," he said brushing her hair off her face. "I still can't believe you chose me."

"Why?" she said.

"Well maybe you've forgotten but Bobby wasn't the first friend you made at Xavier's. I tried to talk to you first but..." he trailed off.

"I never should have believed him." she said. "I saw how uncomfortable he looked when his friends would make fun of us."

"Well if anyone laughs at you I'd light their hair on fire." She laughed gently kissing him again. "Why did you pick me?" he said stroking her hair.

"You watched out for me when I really needed someone." She said. "Even before I did get the cure."

"What do you mean?" he said laying next to her as she looked over at him.

"I saw you outside the clinic the day I went." she said.

"The clinic I blew up?" he said looking at her confused.

"Not until you saw me leave." she said.

"You noticed?" he said.

"That I wasn't dead? I noticed." she said looking down at the blanket. "You also found me when I left Xavier's." She looked over at him. "Did Magento tell you where to find me?"

"Uh no." he said and this time he looked down at the blanket. "I went after you on my own."

"Why?" she said.

"I needed to make sure you were ok." he said. "I couldn't just sit here and not know where you were."

"And you just wandered around looking for me?" she said. "Just to make sure I was safe?"

"Why else would I come find you?"

"Because Magento wanted to recruit me for the Brotherhood because he thought I might have inside information about the X-Men." she said not taking a breath or looking up to meet his eyes.

"You thought I came after you, pretended to fall for you and brought you back just because Magneto asked me to?"

"Yeah." she said finally looking up at him.

"I know I've said this a million times but I'm not Bobby. I know he might have come after you because Professor X told you to but-" Rogue leaned over and kissed him cutting him off.

"I don't need to hear anymore." she said pulling back to look into his eyes. "I trust you." She kissed him again moving her hands up to either side of his shoulders as she crawled over him. "And I love you." She said kissing him again.

"Really?" he said pulling back to look at her.

"Of course." she said looking confused. "I've said it before."

"Not like that." he said. "I mean you've said 'love you' while we were watching TV or something but you've never said 'I love you' like that." He looked up at her brushing her hair back.

"Well I do." she said. "I love you."

"I love you." he said.

"You've never said that either." she said.

"I was scared to say it."

"I had you scared? Wow." she said.

"I wasn't afraid of you. I was afraid you wouldn't love me back." he said holding her face. "I couldn't risk losing you."

"You're not going to lose me." she said laying her head against his chest. "Promise I won't lose you either."

"Never." he said and kissed her gently. She smiled into the kiss sliding her hands to the bottom of his shirt. She pulled it up over his head only puling away from him for a moment to pull it over his head. She threw it onto the ground where it fell on top of her shirt. As she braced herself on him she felt something hard press against her hand.

She smiled down at him. "Happy to see me?" she said.

"Oh sorry." he said reaching down and pulling a silver zippo lighter from his pocket. He leaned over to set it on the bedside table but Rogue caught his hand.

"You still have this?" she said her hand closing around his. "I thought after Magneto made you that flame thrower thing-"

"I like this lighter." he said turning it over in his hand. "They don't make them like this anymore, just that disposable plastic crap."

"I remember when you tried to impress me with that." She said. "I thought it was so amazing." She rolled onto her back. "I heard Magneto talking about how precise your control is." She looked at the lighter then into his eyes. "Will you show me?"

"Why do you care?" he said.

"I've showed you what I've learned." she said. "And granted your practice sessions aren't as fun as mine but I still want to see. Please?" she said propping herself up on her elbows unintentionally pressing her breasts together.

"Well since you asked so nicely." he said glancing down at her cleavage. She noticed and sat up blushing. He flicked his lighter and Rogue watched as it jumped from the lighter to his palm. She watched as it changed from and indistinguishable sphere to a tall column and then into what resembled a pinwheel. Rogue watched, her eyes open as it changed and Pyro watched her face illuminated by the warm glow.

It finally twisted into the delicate spirals of a rose and she is instantly reminded of the icy rose Bobby created for her on the first day. _Bobby..._ Rogue looks down the smile dropping from her face. Pyro glanced from his hand to her and as he saw her face fall he closed his palm extinguishing the flame. Rogue was startled by the sudden lack of warmth and she looked up at him. "Is something wrong?" he said.

"No." she said quietly. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just really tired."

"Do you need to sleep?" he said watching as she twisted her fingers together.

"Ye- yeah sleep." she said. He could tell she had something on her mind but he didn't want her to feel like he was prying.

"If you want to tell me something," he said. "You can tell me, no matter what it is."

"It's Bobby." she said looking up at him. "I know I shouldn't care what happens to him but I can't help but wonder..." She trailed off looking back down.

"Just say it." he said trying not to sound irritated.

"Why would the X-Men come looking for me? I mean they know I left Xavier's of my own free will. When you made the choice to leave they respected it. So why would they come after me?"

"Ask him yourself." said Mystique walking through the door.

"Jesus Christ." said Pyro standing up to cover Rogue as she scrambled on the floor to pull her shirt back on. "Knock first."

"When both of you get your clothes back on Magneto would like you to see Bobby in his office."

"I have nothing to say to him." said Pyro.

"Not you." she said. "Just Rogue."

"Why?" said Rogue straightening up clutching her shirt to her chest.

"Go find out yourself." she said turning on her bare heel and slinking through the door.

Rogue looked over at Pyro who was glaring at the door clenching his fists angrily. "He's probably just going to ask me what Bobby said." she said gripping his arm carefully but her didn't seem to have heard her. "Pyro." she said softly cupping his face and turning it towards her. "Don't worry." she said. "I chose you, I love you." She kissed him, pressing her chest into him. "Nothing he says is going to change anything." She kissed him again and this time his hands slid over her bare waist.

"If he tries anything knock him out again." he said squeezing her gently. She laughed and pulled away smiling. She pulled her shirt over head and as soon as her head emerged from the soft cotton he kissed her again. "I love you."

"I love you." she said.


	3. Chapter 3

Rogue sat in Magneto's office wishing he had separated the two chairs in his office from the bench he had formed for her and Pyro. Se pulled herself as far away from Bobby as she could crossing her arms over her chest looking out the window. "Rogue-"

"Don't talk to me." she said shortly.

"I just wanted-"

"Stop it." she said crossing her legs and angling away from him further.

"I-"

"Seriously I will backhand you into a coma." she said her head snapping around to look at him. She caught his ice blue eyes and she clenched her teeth and looked away again.

"Now Rogue don't be rude to our guest." said Magneto as he walked into the office. "I thought he was your friend back at that inferior institution."

"He's not my friend." said Rogue.

"She was my girlfriend." said Bobby leaning forward towards Magneto.

"You call sitting next to me but letting your friends laugh at me behind my back and abandoning me when I really needed it and rejecting me when I gave everything up for you being a boyfriend?" said Rogue. "He was not my boyfriend. He was a classmate at most."

"I'm sorry I didn't-" said Bobby.

"Don't." said Rogue leaning away from him again.

"Now Rogue don't interrupt." said Magneto. "Now I am interested in why you are here."

"The other X-Men were worried about her after she left Xaviers so they're out looking for her."

"So the rest of them are on their way?" said Magneto.

"Well-uh no." said Bobby. "I went out on my own." Rogue turned to look at him.

"Do the others even know you're out looking for me?" she said.

"No." said Bobby. "They told me to leave you alone that if you wanted help you'd come back. But I was worried you couldn't come back."

"Well I didn't want to come back I'm happy here. With Pyro." she said pointedly before turning to Magneto.

"But I missed you." he said reaching for her but she pulled away quickly.

"Do I need to be here?" she said to Magneto.

"Not any longer. You may go." said Magneto.

"Thank you." she said standing up and pushing her way out the door. As she stepped forward she slammed straight into Pyro.

"Hey are you ok?" he said catching her.

"I just- I-" she said struggling to recompose herself. "I don't- I can't be around him!" She finally stuttered out before throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his warm chest. He stood stunned for a few seconds before wrapping one arm around her back and stroking her shoulders with the other one.

"Then let's get you away from here. Where do you want to go? The lounge?" she shook her head in his shoulder. "The practice room? We could burn off some steam." She shook her head again before she looked up at him her eyes brimming with tears.

"Could- could we go back to your room?" she said.

"Sure." he said. "Come on." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and guiding her down the hallway.

"I've never been to your room." she said as they turned down an unfamiliar hallway. "I didn't even know there were rooms on this side of the building.

"There aren't." he said as he opened a door that lead to a flight of stairs down. He went them down them with the ease of someone who had run down them many times but Rogue hesitated as she looked down the dark steps. "Hey." he said turning around. "It's ok, come on." he offered his hand back to her and she took it as he led her down the rest of the stairs. Once he got to the bottom he flipped on a light and she looked around at the dim room. There was a bed similar to hers in the corner but apart from that she wouldn't have known it was anyone's room. The walls and floor were plain cement and there were scraps of paper everywhere.

"Why are you down here?" she said looking around as he cleared off a mess of papers and notebook from a chair and offered it to her.

"I liked it better then those metal boxes you guys have." he said. "Plus cement doesn't conduct heat as much as metal so I can train in here. Sit." he said gesturing to the chair.

"Do you not want me to sit on your bed?" she said still standing her arms crossed over her chest.

"I just didn't want you to think I was being- You know..." he trailed off looking over at the bed. "If you want to-"

"I do." she said sitting at the foot of his bed. "And I want you with me." He sat next to her and she leaned into him. He wrapped his arms around her again lacing their fingers together.

"So what happened?" he said looking down at her.

"He didn't come here because the X-Men were worried about me." she said. "He came because he wanted me back."

"He said that?" he said.

"He said the X-Men told him to leave me alone. He didn't have to say the rest." she said looking up at him. "He looked at me like he used to back at Xavier's before everything happened."

"You mean when he cheated on you with Kitty?" said Pyro.

"He tried to touch me." she said and she felt Pyro stiffen. "It's like he realized he could and-"

"Did he-"

"No." she said. "I couldn't stay in that room with him I just felt myself losing focus and I couldn't take it."

"Don't worry." said Pyro brushing her hair off her face. "I'm sure Magneto will get the information he needs and he'll be gone."

"I hope so." said Rogue. "I won't be able to train in he's around. I focus better when it's just you and me." She looked up at him and turned around and kissed him softly. She searched his eyes and kissed him again. She cautiously rested her hand on his chest and leaned into him as she deepened the kiss. He pulled back gently and looked at her.

"I'm just better with you." he said resting his hands on her waist. She moaned at the gentle touch and fell back into the wall against the bed. He moved against her mouth gently but she could tell he was restraining himself. She pulled him tighter into her wrapping her leg around his waist. She fell onto her back and tried to pull him down with her but he pulled against her. "Rogue-"

"You don't have to hold back." she said looking up at him. "I've got it, I'm fine." She pulled him closer into her relishing at the new feeling of his weight resting on her. "Don't hold back." she moaned into his ear, kissing his neck. He withheld for a few more seconds but he finally pressed his chest against hers and she felt her hips pitch upward involuntarily. She slid her hands under his shirt and she groaned at the feeling of his warm chest under her fingers. She felt his fingers dig into her side and she felt the moan reverberate in his chest. "Don't hold back." she moaned again kissing his neck and moving her hands to his muscled back. He slowly moved his hands down her sides and then back up under her shirt. She raised her arms over her head gesturing for him to pull it over her head. He hesitated again but pulled hers off then his own.

"Are you-"

"Don't stop." she said closing her eyes pulling him back to her. "Pyro just please don't." Something inside him snapped and he attacked her mouth hungrily gripping her bare body so harshly that she gasped into his mouth at first but then gripped him back her body undulating beneath him. She wrapped on of her legs around him and this time he gripped her leg hiking it up and pulling it tighter around him. She threw her head back and he kissed her neck with equal hunger. Her breathing grew shallow and she exhaled in shorter breaths digging her nails into his back. He reached for the button on her jeans quickly searching her eyes and she nodded her consent. He rolled them onto their sides working her jeans down her legs. She helped pull them off until they fell to the floor.

"I've never seen so much of your skin." he said rolling onto his back running his hand up from the back of her leg. "God you're so beautiful." He leaned down to kiss her again but she pulled back.

"You've never said that." she said. "No one's ever called me beautiful."

"Well you are." he said. "You're so beautiful." He ran his hands over her body again his fingers dipping at her curves and she closed her eyes again. She waited for him to remove the last of her clothing but he just ran his hands over her again and again occasionally kissing her soft stomach or her eyelids.

"Pyro if you want to- I'm fine." she said sitting up on her elbows.

"No, you're not." he said kissing her collarbone.

"Yes, I am." she said trying to pull him back to her but he pulled back. "Why are you stopping me? Do you not want me anymore?"

"No, no!" he said sitting up to look at her. "God I want to so much right now."

"Then do it." she said reaching for the waistband of his jeans but he caught her hand. "Pyro-"

"You only want this to prove something." he said. "Because Bobby's around."

"This has nothing to do with Bobby." she said. "I just want to be close to you, don't you want that too?"

"Rogue we can be close without sleeping with-"

"Why don't you want me?" she said sitting up.

"I want you Rogue but right now you're just feeling insecure because Bobby's around and you're feeling vulnerable. You have nothing to prove to anyone. I love you. You are beautiful and strong and powerful and trust me I've wanted you since the day I met you, but not like this. I want you to wait until you're ready not to prove something to someone who doesn't matter." He watched as tears welled up in her eyes and she dropped her head into her knees. She wrapped her arms around them and was suddenly aware of just how much she had exposed to him. He looked around and handed her one of the hoodies draped over his bedposts. She zipped it up felt a little better.

"How did you know all that when I didn't?" she said looking up at him.

"Because I get you." he said. "I understand how you think." he said watching her run her fingers through her hair. "If you want to get dressed-"

"Thank you." she said awkwardly standing up. "It's kind of freezing down here." She said as she pulled on her jeans.

"I can help with that." he said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his lighter. He watched the flame dance in her eyes as he ignited the flame ball in his hands. She felt her skin start to tingle as it warmed.

"Thank you." she said leaning against the foot of his bed. She leaned into his shoulder watching the flames cast flickering light around the room. He looked dow at her watching the light dance over her face as she smiled softly. His eyes briefly flickered over her body and as his eyes crossed the top of her pale thighs the flame grew and she gripped onto him tighter.

"Sorry." he said closing his hand extinguishing the flame. "I didn't mean to-"

"Hey I'm fine." she said. "And what have you always told me? Never apologize for your powers." She stroked the side of his face kissing him softly. He kissed her back gently his hands gripping his bed to restrain himself. She rose up on her knees tangling her hands in his soft hair leaning into him. He quickly gripped her to keep himself upright and his hands slip up under his loose jacket and his fingers brushed her bare skin. The feeling of her silky skin against his rough hands made her moan moving her hands from his hair to his shoulders gripping him tightly. She swung one leg over him straddling his waist and she kissed him hungrily again.

"Rogue don't." he groaned tightening his fingers. "You don't have anything to prove."

"I'm not trying to prove anything.I'm training." she said kissing him again. "I'm not ready for- for-" she stumbled as she tried to find the right words.

"I know." he said.

"But I still want you." she said. He finally let himself go a little bit sliding his fingers up the backs of her legs smiling as she gasped lightly. He let his control slip a little further gripping her waist and throwing her onto her back suspending himself over her on his knees. "I like it when you let go." she said softly looking over him. He lowered himself to kiss her neck as his fingers danced over her collarbone and down to the zipper of his hoodie. He kissed her neck and began to inch the zipper down kissing down her chest lower and lower. "Let go." she said her eyes rolling back.

"Why do you keep asking me to let go?" he said looking up at her.

"Because I can't." she said. "And I wish I could. I wish I could just loose myself in you but I can't. So just loose yourself for the both of us."

"Not tonight." he said laying beside her. "That's not what you need right now."

"But-" she said sitting up but he lay his arm gently over her easing her back down.

"I know you're trying to be strong right now." he said. "But it's just me. You don't have to pretend."

"I'm not-"

"It's just me." he said stroking her hair back. "Just let go."

"I'm f-fine." she said but he could see her hard exterior cracking.

"I know he hurt you." he said.

"Don't touch me." she said closing her eyes and pulling away from him.

"What?" he said.

"Don't." she said. "Pyro please I don't want to hurt you." He suddenly understood and stood backing away from the bed. She doubled over on the bed letting aching sobs fall from her as she clutched herself tightly. Her breath shuddered through and another round of sobs ripped through her. Pyro ached to lay a comforting hand on her back or to stroke her tears away but he knew he could not.

"Talk to me." he said quickly pulling a chair towards the bed and leaning forward as close as he dared. "Rogue talk to me. I want to help you."

"I th-thought he loved me." she said shakily. "All that time he swore to me that I mattered to him that I was important. And then he went to that- that girl!" She looked up at Pyro her lip quivering but quickly dropped her face. "Everyone thinks I'm overreacting. Everyone thinks they were just flirting but I know- I saw it in his face. It didn't matter if I had powers or not he never wanted me. He pitied me. He saw I was weak and knew I would do whatever he wanted. He was sleeping with her and he thought I didn't know. I gave so much of myself to him I felt like I had nothing left."

"Rogue." he said aching to hold her.

"I thought I'd never see him again." she said. "I thought I was strong, that I had changed but he just looks at me and I feel worthless again. I feel weak. I feel like I'm nothing."

"You are not worthless." he said. "You are not weak. He is pathetic and you should never let someone so worthless affect you ever again. You are beautiful and strong and I will tell you that everyday if I have to." He knelt in front of her his hands resting on her covered knees. "I love you." she looked up at him her eyes still brimming with tears.

"I love you." she said quietly. She took a steadying breath and quickly shoved her hands into the pockets of his jacket. "Give me a minute." she said closing her eyes.

"Don't hurry for me." he said. "If you need to let go of control longer then do it. I can't imagine how exhausting it must be to hold back all the time."

"It's not exhausting exactly." she said. "It's just like I'm always holding my breath. Always on edge. To big of a shock or things get too hard and it gets harder to hold on." She let her head fall back taking a deep breath. "I usually only fully let go anymore when I sleep." she said. "It's been so long since I've let my powers run loose this long awake."

"Why don't you relax more?" he said. "When you're alone?"

"Magneto told me to practice at all times." she said. "He thinks the more I learn to hold my powers back the more I'll be able to control how strong they are." She finally opened her eyes looking down at him. "Ok." she said. "I'm good."

"You sure?" he said looking up at her. She nodded and gently stroked his face.

"Thank you." she said. "I love you too. I need to say that more. I love you."

"Don't worry." he said gently wiping the tears from her face. "You just need to let go a little more. If you keep it bottled up like that for too long you're going to break."

"It took me longer then usual to get control of my powers." she said shaking her head. "I need to practice harder. My emotions are tied directly to my powers I have to keep them both in check."

"Whatever you think is best." he said. "I just don't want to see you hurt yourself." He leaned forward kissing her forehead and zipping up his jacket halfway from her navel. He sat back on the bed leaning against the wall and she leaned into him her eyes heavy with sleep. "You look better in my jacket then I do."

"I think this whole day has exhausted me." she said. "I wish Magneto would just get whatever he needs from him and-" She closed her eyes laying her head in his lap. He stroked her hair as she let her eyes fall shut. He let her lay across him and he stroked her back. After a few minutes she looked up at him. "I don't deserve you."

"I don't deserve you." he said leaning down to kiss her.

"So we're even." she said pulling him down to her. He lay beside her face to face. and she gently draped her leg over him. They both wrapped their arms around each other and looked at each other. "I'm glad you found me."

"I looked for you for a long time." he said. "You were hard to find. Other mutants leave paths of destruction but you are so careful to go unnoticed."

"Well we don't all go around blowing up clinics." she said.

"Sorry about that." he said.

"You made sure I wasn't inside when you did it." she said. "But, there's something-" she closed her eyes breaking their contact. "Why did you come after me?"

"To make sure you were safe." he said.

"Magneto didn't tell you to find me?" she said biting her lip.

"No." he said. "Why would you think that?"

"Magneto just let you go wandering for months looking for me?" she said.

"I told him I had something important to do and he knew I wouldn't lie to him. Why would you think he sent me after you?"

"Because I was one of Xavier's students." she said. "He did kidnap me before."

"You came to him willingly this time." he said.

"And if I hadn't?" she said.

"What put this idea in your head?" he said.

"I was just thinking-"

"It was something Bobby said isn't it?" he said. She lay quietly looking at him. "Rogue he's going to say anything he can to try to get you to leave with him-"

"I would never go back to him." she said.

"He won't stop trying." he said. "But I can't blame him. If I ever lost you I'd never give up."

"You won't lose me." she said tightening her arms around him. "Not to anything, or anyone especially Bobby."

"Good." he said. "Soon he'll be gone and we don't ever have to talk about him again."

"Rogue?" a voice came from the top of the stairs and she turned over her shoulder to look up.

"What the hell are you doing here?" said Pyro sitting up blocking her from view but she knew it was Bobby and she knew he had seen her.

"Magneto told me to go find you where you were training- Is that what you do now Rogue?" he said. "Tell him you're training then come down here to screw Pyro?"

"You would know about screwing." said Rogue sitting up as Pyro tried to keep her in place.

"Don't speak to him." said Pyro to her. "He doesn't deserve your attention. What are you even doing here?"

"Because I brought him here." said Magento stepping in from behind him. Rogue quickly sat up zipping up the jacket to her neck and Pyro quickly jumped off the bed.

"Wh- Why?" she said quickly standing up beside Pyro.

"Because from now on you will spilt your training between Pyro and Iceman."

"Bobby." he said turning to him.

"Here we use our mutant names with pride." said Magneto. "We do not use the names human have given to us."

"Why do I have to train with him?" said Rogue.

"It is easy enough to train with someone you are comfortable with. When the time comes to use your powers you will not be comfortable with you enemy."

"Why is he staying?" said Pyro. "He's one of the X-Men he'll give away our location."

"He will not." said Magento. "We have an agreement. One that does not concern you Pyro. I would like you to begin your training with Iceman now Rogue. I will expect you in the practice room in five minutes."

"Yes Magneto." she said dropping her eyes to the floor. She heard the two at the top of the stairs leave closing the door behind him. "I can't believe this." she said looking at Pyro. "How could he expect me to be in the same room with that-" She clenched her fists closing her eyes. She unzipped Pyro's jacket and pulled her shirt from the floor over her head roughly.

"You'll get through it." he said. "You're strong, you'll be able to prove you have enough control that you don't need to train with him."

"Maybe I should slip up on purpose." she said. "Put him in a coma for a few weeks."

"Don't." he said. "As much as I would like that you can't let him get to you." He bent down picking up his jacket. "Wear this while you train in case you do slip up and he gives you frostbite."

"And so he knows who I belong to." she said pulling the jacket on.

"That too." he said.

"I won't let him forget." she said leaning into Pyro. "Would you give me something extra to get through it." He leaned into her kissing her gently running his fingers through her hair as she gripped his back. She pulled back biting her lip looking up at him before she laid into his chest closing her eyes. "Don't make me go."

"I wish you didn't have to." She pulled away one last time before she started up the stairs.

"Will you meet me in my room after?" she said turning around as she reached the door.

"Of course." he said. "I'll be waiting for you."


	4. Chapter 4

Rogue stomped into the practice room a few minutes later looking daggers at Iceman across the room. "We are here to train and nothing else." she said.

"Of course." he said stepping towards her but she raised her hand to stop him.

"I know why you are here and no matter what you do I will never go backwards. Not to the X-Men. Not to the cure. Not to you."

"I never wanted you to be cured." he said. "I never thought there was anything wrong with you."

"I'm not here to reminisce." she said. "I'm here to train." She raised both her hands to shoulder level her palms facing him. "We have to touch for me to be able to train but this is all you'll ever touch."

"I didn't ever care about touching you." he said walking towards her. "It was never that."

"Don't." she said. He finally got near her and raised his hands but did not touch her.

"Are you ready?" he said.

"I'm not weak." she said. "I'm always in control of my powers now." He pressed his palms against hers hesitantly.

"How did you learn to control them?" he said trying to catch her eye but she kept hers locked firmly on their hands.

"When they started to come back I just applied what Xavier had tried to teach me. They were easy to control when they were weak and as they got stronger so did I. Pyro found me and Magneto taught me enough control so that I barely have to think about it anymore."

"Then why do you need to train with Pyro and me?" Rogue hesitated before answering.

"My powers are directly tied to my emotions." she said. "If I'm not in control of my emotions I'm less in control of my powers. So wether I'm angry with the person," she said her eyes flicking up to him but quickly returning to their hands. "Or in love with them I have to work harder to maintain them."

"You love him?" he said.

"Of course I love him." she said. "He brought me here when I had no one, nothing. He cared about me powers or not. He tried to stop me getting the cure and he was here for me when they came back."

"Does he love you?" he said.

"Of course he loves me." she said gritting her teeth as she felt her powers roaring inside her.

"Are you sure that's just not what Magneto wants you to think?" said Bobby.

"He would never lie to me." she said her hands stiffening.

"I just want you to be safe." he said moving his hands suddenly to lock their fingers together.

"Let go of me." she said trying to pull away but he held on.

"I just don't want you to be fooled because he's telling you what you want to hear."

"No one here is lying to me." she said still trying to pull away. "They want me to be proud of who I am, to revel in my powers not hide them like Xavier tried to do."

"Xavier didn't want us to hide our powers he wanted us to be careful about how we used them. And stop pretending like I never cared about you because you know I tried.""

"Let go of me." she said finally wrenching herself free. "You don't get to talk to me about what you _tried_ to do. Pyro never had to try. He just knew I needed someone to be there for me. He gives me everything I need. What do you do? All you did was take while I gave and gave and gave. I gave up my powers for you!" she finally screamed at him.

"You told me it was what you wanted." he said.

"I lied." she said. "I saw you with Kitty, I saw you slipping away and I did anything I could to hold on and you pushed me away."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" he said reaching for her but she pulled back.

"I stopped caring about you a long time ago." she said looking up at him. "I love Pyro. He loves me powers or not. I'm done." she said backing out of the room. "I've practiced enough for today."

"No." he said. "You said you needed to practice under emotional stress. You said so yourself." He grabbed her forearms.

"Bobby let go of me." she said trying to push him away but he held on tightly.

"You know I'm stronger then you." he said. "Don't waste energy fighting me."

"Just because I'm holding back now doesn't mean I can't hurt you on purpose."

"You won't." he said. "Because you know if you do you'll see inside my head and you'll see how much I still care about you."

"No I will see all your memories of you _fucking_ Kitty. And my powers don't work like that anymore. I can just hurt you." she let go of her control for a brief moment and he stumbled back releasing her, gasping for breath and clutching his chest. "And don't you ever try to do that to me again." She turned and ran from the room not bothering to close the door behind her. She ran straight to her room where Pyro was siting on her bed reading one of the books she had lying around.

"I thought you'd be back later." he said.

"Pyro." she choked out looking up at him finally letting tears start to roll down her face.

"What did he do to you?" he said standing up dropping the book to her bed.

"I don't want to t-talk." she said. "Just kiss me, please." She ran to him wrapping her hands around the back of his head pulling him to her. He held her waist pulling her close.

"I'm here." he said kissing her neck. "It's ok." he said kissing her jaw. "I'm here. I'm here."

"Don't go." she said clinging to him tighter.

"I won't." he said. She kissed him again laying back on her bed and this time he lay over her without her needing to ask. She pushed her hands down his back and under his shirt sliding her hands up and down. He slid down the zipper of the jacket he had given to her and she sat up so he could slide it down her arms. She dug her fingers into his bare back. He pressed his hips against her and she whimpered rolling her shoulders back pressing her chest into him. "Am I hurting you?"

"No." she said. "Please don't go."

"I'm not going anywhere." he said.

"I'm not doing this to make Bobby angry." she said. "I just need- I need you."

"You have me." he said rolling onto his side. She lay her head on his chest and wrapped her fingers around his upper arm. "If you want to talk you can."

"I told him." she said. "I've been lying to him and myself and I just couldn't lie anymore and I told him."

"Told him what?"

"The truth about why I gave up my powers." she said. "I did it for him. I could never tell him, I told him it was what I wanted but I did it for him. I thought if he could touch me he would end things with Kitty but it didn't change anything. He didn't hate my powers he just didn't want me. I'm not good enough."

"He's not good enough." he said. "He never deserved you, I never thought he did."

"I don't know why I told him. And I don't know why I told him my powers changed."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him that I don't still see people's thoughts when I touched them." she said. "And I let go, just for a second to try and get him to leave me alone."

"Did you see something?" he said looking down at her.

"I just saw his memories of us together. And her I saw him with her and-" she closed her eyes. "Even after I left, even when he didn't know where I was he stayed with her. How could he come after me pretending to care when he still expects to go back to her. He told her he loved her. The day after I left Xavier's he told her he loved her."

"He's not capable of love." said Pyro stroking her hair back gently. "He will never have what we have."

"I was with him for three years. In three years he never said anything and all it takes is for me to be gone one day and he tell her he loves her."

"Don't think about it." he said. "Just focus on this, us." she lay against him closing her eyes.

"I don't want to move." she said. "I can't face him tomorrow after what I've seen."

"Don't think about tomorrow." he said. "I'm sure we can tell Magneto-"

"He'll only think it's a better reason for me to keep training with him. Oh god Pyro," she said looking at him. "What if he stops my training with you and makes me train with Bobby full time?"

"He wouldn't do that." said Pyro stroking her back.

"And if he does I'll barely see you anymore." she said. "I can't get inside his head again."

"Then we'll just train harder." he said. "Maybe you can separate the part of your powers that absorbs memories and you won't have to see inside his head ever again."

"Thank you so much for- for- I don't even know." she said looking up at him.

"It's ok." he said. "I know what you mean."

"I've gained so control over these last few months and I can feel my control slipping away whenever I get near him."

"Don't let him have power over you." he said. "You are so much stronger then you realize. And you don't have to do this alone. Maybe I can convince Magneto that all three of us to train together. I mean fire and ice it'd be the ultimate challenge."

"That could work." she said. "But won't it be hard seeing Bobby again? I mean you two used to be friends."

"I could never forgive him after the way he hurt you.

"Thanks." she said kissing the underside of his jaw gently and laying back into him. "Magneto is going to be furious with me for running out on training."

"You slipped up. You needed time to regather your concentration so you could do better tomorrow." he said. "There, problem solved."

"You take such good care of me." she said.

"I just don't want to give him any reason to think the two of us together is a bad idea."

"Well even if he does make me train with Bobby-"

"I don't mean about us training together. If he thinks the two of us being together is damaging the control of our powers then he won't let us be together."

"Oh." said Rogue. "I never thought of that."

"You need to start thinking about things like that here. Xavier wanted us to be like regular teenagers all the struggles and the worries but Magneto isn't like that. He just wants us to be strong, successful. He doesn't accept weakness in any form."

"I never realized- But when I came here I was so broken and he understood then."

"He can understand that but he won't accept if you go backwards."

"But-but I'm a girl. Falling completely apart and then picking myself up is what I do."

"Not in the Brotherhood." said Pyro. Rogue lay against Pyro silently for a few moments her mind spinning. "I don't mean to worry you I just don't want-"

"For me to get kicked out." she said sitting up pulling herself away from Pyro. "I should get back to training. If I prove I can come back then Magneto won't have anything to criticize." She stood up looking back at him. "You don't have to wait here for me if you have stuff to do."

"No I'll stay." he said sitting up.

"I don't need you to." she said crossing the room to her door. She stepped through the door and closed it by leaning on it. She tilted her head back clenching her jaw and pressing her hands against the door. She took a deep breath and then ran back to the training room as quickly as possible. She pushed open the door and exhaled when she saw Bobby was still there. "Sorry." she said trying to be as buisness like as possible. "I just needed to regather my thoughts. If you're ready to resume training-"

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." she said.

"Are you sure?"

"I don't need you to take care of me." she said. "We just need to train." She walked across the room and held up her hands again. He gripped her hands and she looked at their hands locked together.

"What did you see?" he said looking up at her.

"What do you mean?" she said not looking him in the eye.

"Inside my head? What did you see?"

"I didn't-"

"You know that your powers work both ways. I slipped into your head a little bit and I know you saw into mine."

"What did you see?" she said looking up at him.

"I'll tell you if you tell me." he said.

"I saw you with Kitty." she said unable to pull her eyes away from his. "I saw that you told her you loved her they day after I was gone."

"I did tell her that." he said. "But I didn't mean it. I just said it because- Because I didn't want her to leave to. Everyone blamed me for you leaving and I thought she would leave too."

"But you did sleep with her." she said closing her eyes to make sure she stayed focused.

"I-I did." he said. "But-"

"Please don't tell me about it." she said squeezing his hand. "I don't-"

"Let me say this." he said squeezing her hands back. "I don't want Kitty. I never wanted her, I wanted you and I couldn't have you and she was there when you were gone."

"Don't tell me that." she said keeping her eyes shut.

"I'm sorry for everything I told you when you came back I never should have criticized you."

"Bobby don't." she said trying to pull away finally opening her eyes but turning her head to the side so she wouldn't see him. He let go of her hands but gripped her forearms pulling her into him.

"Let me do what I should have done when you came back."

"Bobby you can't do this to me." she said finally looking him straight in the eye hoping it would calm him down.

"Just let me-" he said before pulling Rogue into him pressing his lips firmly against hers. She pushed him away pressing her hand to her mouth. He stumbled away as she backed away into a wall and slid down it.

"You can't do this to me." she said pressing her palms to her temples. "Bobby you can't do this to me not again, I'd just forgotten you."

"Please come back with me." he said running across the room and kneeling in front of her. "We don't have to go back to Xaviers we can go anywhere, just let me take you there." He reached out to cup her face but she pushed him away.

"Stop it." she said catching his hand. "You can't do this to me."

"I still love you Rogue, I never stopped. Tell me it's not too late."

"It is." she said. "It's too late I'm with Pyro, I love Pyro. Don't you understand you had your chance and you threw me away. You can't just decide to come get me when you're ready and expect me to have been waiting for you." She pushed him away and stood up trying to give herself some distance from him but he followed after her. As he tried to grab a hold of her, the door opened and Mystique looked in at them from the doorway.

"Your training is over for today. Bobby come with me so I can show you your new room." Rogue ran by her out the door and down the hallway. She ran to her room and was about to throw open the door when she stopped herself.

She pulled her hand away from the doorknob and looked up at the reflective surface of the metal door. Her eyes were red and she was shaking. She ran her fingers through her hair and ran the back of her hand over her mouth. After another deep breath she opened the door and saw Pyro sitting at the foot of her bed. He stood up quickly, looking at her. "I'm so sorry." he said before she could open her mouth. "All that stuff I said- I didn't mean to call you weak. I didn't mean to say any of that you know me I say one thing and I don't realize what the hell I'm saying. You are so strong and no matter what Bobby says to you, you are strong. And I love you. You know that right? I love you." He exhaled looking at her. "So- yeah. I'm sorry and I love you. That's all."

Rogue stood looking at him for a few seconds then flew across the room wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his collarbone. His arms wrapped around her back awkwardly at first but soon he held her tightly. She rubbed her cheek along his chest revealing in his warmth. "Oh god I love you too."

"Did something happen? Did Bobby do something?"

"No." she said quickly closing her eyes and pressing herself into him. "It's just hard being around him. It reminds me of Xaviers and everything." He tilted her chin up at him.

"Are you sure nothing happened? You look like you've been crying." he said holding her face and looking at her. "You know if he did anything I'll singe his eyelashes off." She laughed for a moment but the laugh cracked in her throat. And she closed her eyes biting back the sob fighting in her throat. "What did he do?"

"He didn't do anything." she said turning away from him wiping frantically at her eyes.

"Tell me what he did." he said. "Rogue what did he do to you?"

"He didn't do anything." she said again but her voice cracked.

"Rogue, why won't you tell me he obviously did something." he said. "You can tell me anything."

"I know I can but I don't want to." she said turning around to face him. "I don't want to tell you ok? Just- can you please just go." He pulled away from her looking confused. "Just go I need to be alone." She laid down on her bed facing the wall pulling her knees into her chest. Pyro went to rest his hand on her back but pulled back and left her room closing the door behind him.


	5. Chapter 5

Rogue sat lay on her bed curled into a ball willing herself to fall asleep but sleep wouldn't come. She wanted to just drop off into a coma and not have to process anything. All the thoughts rushing through her head made her skull ache. The thought of Pyro pressed against her, his mouth warm against her skin his rough hands holding her. But then she thought of Bobby. Bobby who she had believed was her first love, the first boy who she had shared powers with. And his lips pressed against hers. She rolled over pressing her hands into her face trying to push the images away.

Damn it she couldn't stop thinking about that kiss. She had pushed him away as quickly as she could. Hadn't she? Or had she let him linger just for an extra second? She couldn't remember now. And why hadn't she told Pyro? Why hadn't she run into the room let the tears flow, fall into him and told him everything? He would have comforted her, told her she hadn't done anything wrong, then burned off Bobby's fingerprints.

Why hadn't she told? Now if she told him later it would seem like she was hiding it from him. What if he found out from someone else? What is Bobby told him? She sat up as quickly as she could. What if while she was here playing a game of what-ifs and maybes, Bobby had already told Pyro? She stood up her knees weak leaning against the wall.

She had to tell him. She had to do it now before Bobby made it seem like something was going on between the two of them. She ran through her door looking up and down the hallways for him. He must have headed back to his room. She ran down the hallway he had taken her down earlier until she found the door. She knocked on it but she didn't hear any response. She knocked again before slowly opening the door. As she did a wave of heat washed over her and she saw a bright flash of light. Fire blazed in the room, the whole room orange and red with flame. She saw Pyro at the center of the blaze deep in concentration as the scraps of paper that littered the floor ignited and and fell away into ash. "Pyro?" she said quietly. And just like that all of the bright burning light was gone. The heat still wrapped around her as he looked up at her.

"Just- practicing." he said. "I just needed to-"

"I'm sorry I snapped at you." she said. "I just-" She walked down the stairs to him looking up into his eyes. "Can I tell you something?"

"You can tell me anything." he said.

"You're going to get really angry." she said. "But you just have to stay calm and listen to the whole story."

"What did he do to you?" said Pyro. "If he hurt you-" He said running his hand over her side checking for marks he might have left on her.

"Pyro just tell me you'll listen." she said.

"I will." he said.

"When I was training with Bobby he kept trying to tell me that being with Kitty was a mistake and how he only wanted me. He asked me to run away with him-" Pyro's hands tightened on her. "I told him no, that I belonged with you. And he said-" She dropped her head biting her lip as she looked back up at him. "Pyro he kissed me."

"What?" roared Pyro and she swore his hands grew warm on her skin.

"He kissed me but I pushed him away, right away and then Mystique came to take him away."

"Why didn't you tell me right when you came back?" he said.

"I just- I don't know but I'm telling you now."

"No, Rogue why didn't you tell me?"

"I told you ten minutes later." she said. "Why does it matter that I didn't tell you right away?"

"Because that means you hid it from me."

"For five seconds!" she said. "And I didn't mean to hide it. I was just confused."

"Confused about what? Did you want him to kiss you?"

"No!" said Rogue. "Why would you even say that? I only want you Pyro."

"Then what were you confused about?"

"I don't know." she said. "Please Pyro don't do this." She tried to wrap her arms around him, to pull him into her but he pushed her back. She stumbled away from him looking shocked.

"Tell me why you kissed him." he said his voice low.

"I didn't kiss him, he kissed me." she explained again.

"Why did you let him? I know that if you didn't want him touching you you could have had him flat on the floor in seconds. So why did you let him kiss you?" He stepped into her and she was backed against the wall.

"Pyro, please." she said her palms pressed against the wall. "I don't know what it is you want me to say."

"Prove to me that you don't want him anymore."

"I don't." she said. "I left him, I'm with you."

"Then show me." he said bracing his hands on either side of her head. She placed her hands slowly on his chest leaning into him.

"Pyro I love you. I have never loved anyone else like I love you. I am so sorry I hid anything from you for even a second. But if I lose you, I'll lose everything. You are my strength. I know I wouldn't have been able to learn such great control if it weren't for you. I knew I needed to be able to touch you, to be able to have your hands on me, to have you hold me. I did this for you. I'll do anything for you." She leaned her head against his shoulder wrapping her arms around his back. "Please, please forgive me."

He pressed her against the wall and she held onto him anxiously as he looked down at her. "Say you belong with me."

"I belong with you." she said softly. "I belong with no one else but you." His fingers flexed over her head and he pressed her against the wall with his hips.

"Now tell me you belong to me."

"I'm yours." she said. "I belong to you." He pressed his hips into her again and when she reached for his shoulders he pinned her wrists to the wall. She exhaled swiftly trying not to push back letting him take control of the moment. He kissed her harshly not in the gentle way he always touched her. He pulled her across the room and turned them both around layin her down onto his bed. She looked up at him knowing he wouldn't push her, not really. She hoped. He lay down on top of her pulling her shirt up over her head and throwing it to the ground.

"You are mine." he growled down in her ear. "You belong to me and Bobby will never touch you again."

"Never." she said. "You're the only one who will ever touch me."

"I want to touch you." he said.

"You can." she said. "Only you." He ran his hand down her stomach to the waistband of her jeans reaching for the button.

"I want you now." he said and when she looked up at him his eyes were burning.

"Pyro, I don't think I'm ready. I-" she reached for his hand but he caught her wrist.

"Who do you belong to?" he said his voice low in his chest.

"Y-you." she said. His hands ran beneath the waistband of her jeans and his fingers ran along her through the thin fabric of her underwear. She grabbed onto his wrist arching her back high off the bed. "Pyro-"

"You like how that feels?" he said stroking her with two fingers.

"Yes." she said shortly her hand still tight around his wrist. "Pyro I can't-"

"You can." he said. "I want to feel you."

"But what if-"

"Do it for me." he said. "You said you'd do anything for me." Her hand loosened on his wrist but did not let go completely.

"But if I say stop-"

"You won't want me to stop." he said pushing her underwear aside and running his fingers through her. She moaned loudly at the gentle touch and as he pressed one finger inside her she began to whimper.

"It's too much." she said. "I can't-"

"You can." he said. "You know you want me to do this." He said rubbing against her. "You want me to make you feel like you've never felt before. You want this."

"Yes." she choked out writing beneath him. "I want this."

"Do you want me to stop or-"

"Don't stop." she said throwing her head back. "More I want more." He pressed another finger into her and she gripped the sheets moaning even louder.

"You like that?" he said smiling down at her.

"God, yes." she moaned. "Faster, faster." He worked his fingers faster inside her and she started shaking beneath him. "Oh god that feels so-" she lost her breath letting her head fall back.

"I can't hold on much longer." she said. "Pyro I'm going to hurt you."

"You're so close." he said. "I can feel it. I want to hear you scream."

"Pyro, no I can't. You need to stop." She grabbed onto his wrist again but he pushed her back.

"Just a little bit longer." he groaned into her ear.

"Stop." she said. "Pyro-" She threw her head back moaning louder then ever shuddering around his fingers. She lay flat on her back her chest heaving as Pyro withdrew his fingers from her smiling down at her.

"I told you, you could hold on." he said.

"But I told you to stop." she said sitting up on her elbows. "I told you I wasn't ready and you kept going."

"Oh don't act like you didn't enjoy it." said Pyro leaning down to kiss her but she sat up pulling away from him.

"This isn't about whether I enjoyed it or not." she said. "You know when I tell you to stop, you stop. Why didn't you stop?"

"You said you belonged to me." he said sitting at the foot of the bed flicking his lighter open and shut lazily.

"But that doesn't mean I'm your toy." she looked over at him but his eyes were focused on his lighter."Pyro listen to me!" she said reaching to grab the lighter out of his hand.

"Don't touch the lighter." he said gripping his hand tighter around it.

"Then you need to listen to me." she said. "I'm not your lighter you can't just play with me when you feel like it. Why did you do that?"

"Because I want you to know that Bobby will never touch you ever again. And no one will ever touch you the way I can." he said.

"If you don't stop talking about me like I'm an inanimate object then you won't ever touch me again." she said standing up looking down at him.

"You don't mean that." he said glancing up at her.

"I do. If you ever push me faster then I'm ready to go again, I will never let you touch me again."

"And where would you go?" said Pyro looking her up and down. "If you won't train with me and I know you don't want to train alone with Bobby again and Magneto sure as hell won't let you pout like some spoiled brat, where will you go?"

"Magneto wouldn't kick me out." she said.

"He would if you refused to train." said Pyro. "Look tonight I made you go a little further then you thought you could and you enjoyed it. So stop acting like I violated you and calm down."

"If you apologize." she said softly. "And admit you did something wrong tonight."

"I'm sorry." he said. "I just want so much from you. I know part of it is your powers but part of it is you being so scared that I'm going to do what Bobby did. It's a part of that you won't trust me completly. I haven't done anything but prove my faithfulness to you. So stop treating me like I'm him. You were so wiling to give yourself to him before so why don't you trust me like you trusted him?"

"I do trust you." she said.

"Then why did you try to drag him into bed every chance you got? With me I have to work for every ounce of trust you give me despite how many times I prove to you that I love you."

"So what was your plan?" she said. "She won't let me in so I'll force my way in?"

"I don't know." said Pyro finally dropping the lighter to his bed. "I just couldn't stand the thought of his hands all over you forcing himself on you while I barely get to touch you. I just needed to touch you."

"You don't do that by forcing yourself on me." she said. "You don't do what Bobby did to me." She sat down next to him again. "Look I love you. And one day when I am ready you will be my first. But that has to be when both of us are ready. Both of us."

"I wouldn't-"

"And yesterday neither one of us would have believed what happened five minutes ago. You promise me that you won't ever force something on me like that ever again."

"I won't." he said brushing the white streak from her face. "I love you. I'm sorry, I really am."

"I know." she said. "But I just need to be alone right now ok?"

"But-"

"I know you're sorry and I forgive you but I need some time to myself. "

"Do you want me to come by later tonight?"

"No." she said. "I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"

"But what about dinner?"

"I'll see you tomorrow." she repeated.

"I'm sorry." he said running his hand across her shoulders. He leaned in to kiss her but she turned away so he only caught the edge of her lips. "Rogue-"

"I just need time." she said. "We're fine I just need time." She stood up and crossed his room walking up the stairs out of his room. She leaned against the door for a second wondering if she should go back down and let Pyro kiss her goodbye. She stepped out instead closing the door behind her. "Just some time." she said quietly to herself.

She walked slowly down the hallway dragging her fingers along the smooth metal walls. Had she forgiven him too quickly? Or was he right? She had enjoyed it. The feeling of his fingers against her. She had never felt anything like that. Did he even have anything to apologize for? She should have told him about the kiss, the kiss that didn't mean anything. That kiss that hadn't made her feel anything.

She rounded another corner and she saw Bobby standing outside her door. She quickly backed around the corner holding her breath. Had he seen her? What was he even doing there? There was no way she could get back into her room without him seeing her. She took a deep breath and turned around the corner again. "What are you doing here?" she said crossing her arms as she walked towards him.

"I just wanted to make sure you were ok." he said.

"Well I'm fine." she said. "So you can go."

"And I wanted to say I'm sorry. I shouldn't have forced that kiss on you."

"No you shouldn't have." she said. "I'm going to bed now so-"

"Don't you need to eat?" he said.

"I'm fine." said Rogue.

"Well I brought you this." he said reaching into his back pocket. "I remembered these were your favorites back at school. Here." He pulled a bag of sour candies from his back pocket. "You'd always sort them out into their colors and eat the orange ones last because they were your favorite."

"Yeah." she said. "Thanks." She took them looking down at her shoes.

"I'm sorry." he said. "I really am."

"Goodbye Bobby." she said slipping into her room. She closed her door behind wishing desperately she had a lock on the door. She looked down at the bag of candy and dropped it on her chair. What the hell was he thinking bringing her that. It was just like him to do something like this though. Back at Xaviers whenever he noticed she was feeling sad or frustrated after a training session he would snatch her extra desserts or pluck her flowers from the school grounds. But they weren't together anymore he couldn't just bring her things like this anymore. She kicked off her shoes but did not bother to change before she dropped into her bed. She pulled her comforter up over her tucking her arms under her head

Goddamn it. She had left her room before to try to sort things out and now here she was again everything worse then before. She was twice as confused and twice as hurt. Her eyes drifted over the the bag of candy and she turned over choosing to face her wall instead. She wanted so much for this all to be simpler. If Bobby hadn't come back, if she hadn't had to train with someone else, if she hadn't gone to Pyro's room, if Bobby hadn't been waiting at her door, if her powers weren't tied to her stupid emotions, if she didn't have these powers.

No. She didn't wish she didn't have powers. Her powers were a part of her. If it weren't for them she wouldn't be who she was. She would have never met Logan who made her strong. She would have never met Pyro and fallen in love. But she never would have met Bobby and had her heart broken. She tried not to make lists in her heads weighing the pros and cons of her powers, she knew it would only drive her crazy. What she needed now was sleep, deep dreamless sleep. And tomorrow-

Well she'd figure something out by tomorrow. She hoped. She really hoped by tomorrow morning she'd know what the hell to do.


	6. Chapter 6

Rogue woke up long before anyone else and lay in her bed staring at the ceiling. Part of her wished that Pyro would come sneaking in her door and lay down beside her, but she knew she'd told him to give her space and that he'd respect that. She knew if she did come in she'd be too torn between being grateful at his company, angry that he'd ignored her wishes and guilty that last for the first time since Magneto had found her she'd dreamed of Bobby last night.

It had been a simple dream, just the two of them eating lunch at Xaviers School. His hand hand been extended across the table holding hers but this time her hand hadn't been wrapped in black cotton. She could feel his slightly calloused thumb rubbing back and forth across the back of her hand. They hadn't even spoken in the dream just glanced up every once and a while and smiled.

She couldn't control her dreams, she had absolutely no control over what popped into her head. She had just seen Bobby after months and it had sparked some memory. That's all it meant.

She finally rose and dressed walking down to the main hall to eat breakfast. When she walked in Pyro and Bobby were sitting at their own tables but glaring at each other. She stopped at the doorway debating where she should sit. Should she sit across from Pyro and block his view of Bobby? Should she sit at her own table and avoid them both? No, of course not. She would sit where she always sat. She walked in and sat beside Pyro.

"Hey." she said.

"You feeling ok?" he said running his hand along her face.

"Just didn't sleep much last night." she said. "I'm fine."

"You sure?" he said. "I just meant last night we just-"

"I'm fine." she said taking his hand and pulling it away from her face. "Don't worry about it."

"I really am sorry." he said. "I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." she said. "I know. You've been really patient with me and I understand that you have urges and I do to just...maybe I was being over cautious. You proved that I can...you know...Without hurting you."

"But still," he said. "I won't ever push you like that again. I've been feeling sick to my stomach all night about it. I shouldn't have done that with you- to you." The lead weight that had been sitting in her stomach all night lessened slightly.

"Don't." she said. "Don't you apologized, I forgive you, we're ok. We're both new at this and we're still figuring each other out. Let's get our breakfast." She stood and they walked to the warming trays of food. They passed Bobby and she tightened her grip on his hand looking at Pyro. They both loaded up their trays with food and as they walked back towards the tables she leaned into him. "Let's not sit so close to him."

"Did he do something else?" he said and she swore she could feel heat starting to radiate off him.

"No." she said. 'Just brought me my favorite candy.' she thought. "Let's just not provoke him."

"Whatever you want." he said walking with her to a table farther away. She sat beside him with her back to Bobby but didn't eat much just moved her food around her plate. She turned over her shoulder and saw Bobby with an empty tray walking towards her.

"Let's start training." she said standing up quickly.

"Ok." he said standing as well. She moved past Bobby quickly looking away from him. She made the mistake of glancing up at him.

"Rouge I-"

"I'm late for training." she said tugging Pyro with her faster out the door. She pushed him into the room they had trained in last night and he turned to face her.

"Did he do something else last night?" he said.

"No." she said. "I just don't want to give him the opportunity to do something else."

"Rouge if he did something tell me now. Not five minutes from now."

"He didn't- He just-"

"So he did do something!" he said turning over his shoulder. "I will light his-"

"Pyro-" she said gripping his arm and turning him back around to her. "He didn't touch me. He just apologized for kissing me and-" She stopped not sure she should continue.

"And?" said Pyro looking anxious.

"He gave me a bag of candy." she said crossing her arms.

"He what?"

"He gave me a bag of my favorite sour candies." she said. "He used to do it back at Xaviers all the time when I had a bad day it's his way of apologizing."

"And then?"

"And then I took the candies and I went back to my room and fell asleep. Alone." she clarified.

"Why did you take them?" he said.

"I don't know." she said. "I didn't have any they're just sitting on my desk you think he drugged them and he'll just haul me away in my sleep? It was candy Pyro, it's nothing."

"Candy that an old boyfriend used to get for you. He wants you back."

"Who cares?" she said. "He's not going to."

"You're not acting like it." he snapped back.

"What the hell does that mean?" she said.

"You two keep running into each other in the halls having secret conversations and exchanging gifts. Having fun reliving the good old days-"

"Pyro STOP!" she said grabbing his shoulders. "What is wrong with you? I don't want him. I don't want him. I want you. He is my past when I was stupid and childish and- Did I love him? Yes. Did I think I would be with him forever? Yes. Did I realize how wrong I was as soon as I gave up my powers for him? Yes. Did I wander heart broken and alone and powerless for months looking for someone anyone to help me? Yes. And I found you. You fixed me. You made me believe that I could be worth something without my powers and helped me when they started to come back. You brought me here. He is my past. I can't erase him or change what happened. But you are my future. Please don't fight me because of something I can't change."

"Do you still care about him?" said Pyro his voice low and even.

"What?" she said a cold shudder running down her spine. "Why would you even ask-"

"Say no." he said. "Say no. Say you don't care."

"I-I don't love him." she said. "I love you."

"That's not what I asked." he said. "You still do, don't you?"

"He- he the first guy I ever let close to me." she said. "Someone like that makes a difference. He changed my life. Yes in the end he cheated he was too scared for anything serious but he's always going to be part of my story."

"So you do." he said his voice cold.

"Not like I care about you." she said. "Come on Pyro he was your best friend are you saying you don't have one fond memory of him from school?"

"But he's not still my friend." he said.

"Just like I don't love him anymore." she said. "But he's still in our past."

"But he's not in our past he's in the next room." he shouted. "And you are slipping back."

"I'm not!" she said reaching for him but pulling back as she felt her focus slipping.

"You kissed him!"

"He kissed me!" she said.

"And you let him! Admit it."

"I-" she sat on the couch only yesterday the two of them had been holding each other. "I...maybe just for a second." As soon as the words left her mouth the excuse that had about to follow caught in her throat. She had let him kiss her. She had said it out loud now, it was true.

"You did." he said sitting on the couch.

"I...Pyro I don't know why- I didn't mean to-"

"You just said- You said that he is in your past- And everyone wants to fix their past. But you don't want to go back."

"No!" she said laying her hand on his denim covered knee still unsure of her control. "But... And I don't feel this way now I don't but when you first found me...when we first started this...A part of me wondered if-If that the cure hadn't worked, and you still couldn't touch me, if you'd still want me. It was easy to get close to me when there was no risk of me putting you in a coma."

"I tried to get close to you at school-"

"But you didn't. And don't say it was because of Bobby because you still could have been my friend."

"No I couldn't. I couldn't be just a friend. I needed all of you."

"Is that what this is really about?" she said. "You can't share me with anyone else?"

"I won't." he said. "Not with him. He can't share you. He has to have all of you or none of you. He has to own you."

"He- he was never like that." she said. "He was never jealous or possessive. He barely acknowledged that we were a couple in front of his friends."

"Because they didn't want you. They weren't a threat. DIdn't he take every excuse to make me look bad in front of you? He'd push my buttons, he'd get me riled up."

"He-He did..." she realized.

"He made you think he was the only one who could ever love you." he said. "He made you think you were unwanted. So you held onto him as hard as you could."

"I did." she said staring at her hands clenched tight on her lap.

"And he's doing it again." he said. "He's trying to make you feel weak again because he knows you'll turn back to him. He's your safety net. He's an old habit."

"I don't want to." she said. "I don't want to go backwards, please help me."

"I'm here." he said. "And I will help you, just promise me something."

"Anything." she said nodding.

"Promise me that even if after all of this...if after anything you and I don't work out-"

"Pyro I don't want to break up with-"

"Let me finish." he said. "If you and I don't work out that you will not go back to Bobby. Or anyone like him. Remember how strong you are and that even if being alone hurts it is better then clinging to someone who makes you feel worthless to make them feel strong. Can you promise me that?"

She nodded hard. "I'm not planning on losing you anytime soon, or ever. But I promise."

"Good." he said sitting beside her on the couch. "But I don't plan on letting go of you either." She closed her eyes and leaned against his shoulder. He reached around her laying his arm across her shoulder. He lifted his hand to caress her cheek but she leaned away.

"Careful." she said. "Just...not sure right now. Let me just refocus so I can control it better."

"No don't." he said. "Let's practice that now. Being able to borrow another mutants power is a valuable skill."

"Yeah if I don't kill you first." she said.

"You've done it before." he said. "At Bobby's house, remember? I've survived you once. You can do this." She still looked unsure as she sat up her hands still balled up.

"But that's not what Magneto told us to train. He said I was supposed to practice control."

"This is control." he said. "Practice using my powers." He reached into his pocket pulling out the familiar lighter and flicking it a few times before holding the flame in his left hand and offering her the right. She looked at it tentatively then extended her hand over his, hovering above it still unsure. "I trust you." he said quietly.

"I know." she said. "Just give me a minute."

"Take your time." he said. She exhaled slowly then pressed her fingertips to his lightly.

"You ok?" she said looking up at him.

"I'm fine." he said. "I'll tell you if I start to feel anything." She extended the hand not touching his toward the flame in his hand.

"Now what do I do?" she said. "I don't know how to control fire."

"You played with Playdoh as a kid right?" he said.

"Yeah..." she said.

"Well it's nothing like that." he said smirking at her. "Just picture what you want the flame to do and it'll listen." She took another deep breath and flexed her hand. The flame doubled in size with a burst and she jumped pulling both hands back.

"I can't do this." she said. "I don't know how."

"That's why I'm teaching you." he said. "Just focus on getting the flame into a sphere shape. A round ball." She took a deep breath and touched her hand to his again focusing her gaze on the flame. The flame began to flex and bend in Pyros hand until it became the shape he had described. She smiled looking at the flame.

"I did it." she said.

"Good..." he said a little breathlessly. She looked towards him saw he was looking pale.

"You said you'd say something." she said pulling her hands away. He took a deep breathe as the flame was extinguished. "Pyro why didn't you say something?"

"If it had got really bad I would have." he said his color already returning.

"Next time you tell me right away." she said. "God I could have really hurt you."

"I'm fine." he said. "You were doing a good job I didn't want to interrupt."

"Martyr." she muttered. "No more training for today you need time to recover."

"But we just started." he said.

"Then we need to at least take a break." she said.

"Fine." he said flicking his lighter absently. "Just prepare to do that again. You need to work on more precise control."

"Yeah I will." she said. "Just relax."

...

_**I know it has been FOREVER since I updated. This semester really kicked my butt and drained me of my creativity. Now that it's summer and I had some time to breathe I thought I'd update.**_


End file.
